USDA conducting survey for 2012 argiculture census

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is currently conducting a survey of Washington landowners. Known as the National Agricultural Classification Survey, this form is used to identify farms and ranches for the 2012 Census of Agriculture. For the Census, a farm is any place that produces, or normally produces, $1,000 of agricultural products annually. Over 275,000 landowners in Washington with at least half an acre of land will receive the form.

Washington State Director David Knopf says, "Participation in the National Agricultural Classification Survey will help ensure that data on agricultural production in your community are as complete and accurate as possible."

Landowners are asked to complete and return the survey form even if they are not actively farming, ranching, or conducting any other type of agricultural activity. "Many of the people receiving this survey are not farming, but it's important that they tell USDA so that they aren't contacted for the Census," Knopf said.

NASS safeguards the privacy of all respondents, and ensures that no individual respondent or operation can be identified from the data we publish. Responses will be kept confidential as required by federal law.

For more information about the National Agricultural Classification Survey, please call 800-435-5883. To learn more about the Census of Agriculture, please visit http://www.agcensus.usda.gov.